Strength of character lifts Union teen in powerlifting

Dominic Swanson exceeded everyone's expectations at his first powerlifting meet last month.

Though given his desire to excel, incredible work ethic and family history in the sport, perhaps his success shouldn't have come as a surprise.

Not only did the 13-year-old take first place in his age range and weight class at the American Powerlifting Federation/Amateur American Powerlifting Federation Illinois Power Raw Challenge, but he bested three 15-year-olds while at it.

His next goal? To qualify for the World Powerlifting Congress Raw World Championship in Las Vegas.

Shy with unfamiliar adults but outgoing around his peers, Dominic said powerlifting never seems like a chore to him.

“I always have fun working out,” said Dominic, who lives in the McHenry County village of Union with his parents, Gary and Renee. “I like the strength that it gives me for my other sports (football, baseball and wrestling) as well.”

At the Dec. 11 meet in Willowbrook, Dominic lifted up to 726 pounds total — 303 pounds in the dead lift, 253 in the squat, and 170 on the bench press.

“I was really nervous before my first lift. The warm-up seemed really heavy, but when I got in front of people, it felt light,” said Dominic, who competes in the 198-pound weight class.

The event was a “raw” competition, where bench suits — special clothing designed to aid powerlifters — are not allowed. Raw competitions are less common than equipped competitions, where lifters post much higher results.

“(Raw) is a brute strength meet,” said Gary Swanson, his son's powerlifting coach. “It's good for a young kid to come in just raw. It shows what kind of strength he has.”

Coaches say Dominic shows work ethic far beyond his years, and great potential to make himself a name in powerlifting or even in college and professional football.

Former NFL offensive lineman Chris Babyar, who coaches Dominic for Huntley Youth Football, said the 13-year-old has not only great athletic ability and blocking skills, but outstanding leadership qualities.

That's what prompted Dominic's teammates and coaching staff to name him the team's offensive lineman of the year.

“He's always one of first ones at the drill, ready to go, looking to improve himself,” said Babyar, who first met Dominic when he took part in the Red Zone Blocking Clinic, a football camp that Babyar runs in the suburbs. “He's got great tenacity, and a mean streak on field.”

Off the field, Dominic is polite and well-mannered.

“He's very respectful of elders. He has never given me a problem. He always works hard,” Babyar said.

Dominic does much of his training in a 2,000-square-foot gym his father built in the family's backyard. Informally called “Swanson Gym,” Gary Swanson coaches about 20 other kids in powerlifting there, working on a donation-only basis.

Last year, he was coaching 120 kids a week, but he cut back to focus on select students and help them work toward athletic scholarships.

“It is harder to train your own son. Sometimes (your own kids) want to get sidetracked,” Gary Swanson said. “I am harder on Dominic. If he wants to move on to the next level, I will help him.”

Dominic says his father demands a lot of him. “He's a pretty tough coach, the toughest I got,” he said.

But Dominic is clear — he loves powerlifting, and has wanted to do it since he was a little kid. In that, he's following the example of his cousin, Jim Swanson, who as a teen was world champion.

Powerlifting runs in the Swanson family. Dominic's father and uncle, also named Jim Swanson, got into powerlifting in the mid-1980s in their native Rockford. At one point, the elder Jim Swanson was ranked third in the world in his weight class, Gary Swanson said.

Dominic started powerlifting at age 8 with 5-pound dumbbells, but really got into it in the sixth grade.

“I started training more, I started going up in my weight. I felt my body getting stronger,” he said.

Dominic's goal is to post a 900-pound total at his next meet in April, which would qualify him for the WPC Raw World Championships. Long term, he wants to continue with powerlifting, but he really wants to play in the NFL.

Keith Mooney, who coached Dominic two years ago in the Tri-County Football League, described the teen's strength as “unbelievable.”

“I saw him two, three weeks ago, and I was amazed how hard he was working, how much weight he was lifting, and his intensity level,” said Mooney, who continues to attend many of Dominic's football games and also trains at Swanson's Gym. “You would expect that of someone 18 or 19 years old.”

Dominic often lifts weights with Mark Skonieczny, 15, of Algonquin, who set three state records for equipped powerlifting last year. Mark has since decided to focus on football and baseball.

“Dominic is great to train with in the gym. He's got a great accomplishment for his age,” Mark said. “He's always the one who wants to do more weight. He's really hardworking. He gives everything his all. He goes to the best of his ability.”

Ÿ Elena Ferrarin wrote today's column. She and Kimberly Pohl always are looking for Suburban Standouts to profile. If you know of someone whose story just wows you, please send a note including name, town, email and phone contacts for you and the nominee to standouts@dailyherald.com or call our Standouts hotline at (847) 608-2733.

Dominic Swanson

<B>Age</b>: 13

<B>Hometown</b>: Union

<B>School</b>: Heineman Middle School

<B>Who inspires you?</b> My cousin Jim Swanson, who was a powerlifting world champ as a teen

<B>What's on your iPod?</b> Eminem, Riot, Bruno Mars

<B>What book are you reading? </b>“Thin Wood Walls” by David Patneaude

<B>Three words that best describe you? </b>Active. Goal-setter. Talkative.